…says over 17 billion naira paid as pensions, gratuities, car, housing loans
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has said that his government has been able to change the narratives in the state by being strong on welfare issues and creating economic opportunities for the citizens.
These, he said has impacted positively on the standard of living of the residents as well as improve on economic development programmes of his predecessors.
Governor Oyebanji who stated these during an engagement with Ekiti Stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday, said his administration in the last one and half years has led the state with a deep sense of responsibility, guided by the fear of God and principle of transparency and accountability .
The Governor added that every money that comes into the state’s coffers has been spent transparently and prudently, adding that his government has paid over 17 billion naira as pension, gratuity, car, and housing loans to Ekiti public servants since he took over as Governor of the State.
The Stakeholders meeting which held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja had in attendance Ekiti indigenes who are in senior cadres in the Federal Civil service, top officials of Federal Parastatals and agencies, as well as para military organisations . Also in attendance were members of the Ekiti Caucus of the National Assembly; and some members of Ekiti State Executive Council .
At the gathering were the first Executive Governor of the State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; Senators Yemi Adaramodu and Cyril Fasuyi; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro; Permanent Secretary, State House, Engr Funsho Adebiyi, members of State Executive Council, and about 250 senior public servants of Ekiti extraction in Abuja, among others.
Addressing the gathering, Governor Oyebanji asserted that his administration remained focused on transforming the state’s economy into a productive and self-sufficient powerhouse by leveraging on the state’s resources and potentials to achieve sustainable development and economic dependency.
He said the stakeholders’ engagement meeting is part of his administration’s policy of inclusion and partnership with critical stakeholders to ensure sustainable development in the state, stressing that through forging an alignment of visions and unanimity of purpose with the stakeholders, the state could achieve the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.
Expressing confidence at what the state stands to gain by collaborating the stakeholders, the Governor said “We believe strongly that if we have alignment of visions, alignment of minds and unanimity of purpose, the Ekiti that our forefathers fought for, we can achieve it.
According to him, “We are conscious of the burden of history on us, we campaigned for this office, we made promises to the people, we begged them to vote for us, we are not here to complain and we are not complaining. We have accepted this responsibility and we don’t lack the capacity, we don’t lack the ability, we don’t lack the vision, we don’t lack the drive but we can do better than what we are doing with your help, so I’ve come to you today not as a Governor that knows it all, I’ve come to you as someone asking for help”.
Reeling out the achievement of his administration in less than two years, the Governor said he has connected over 45 communities that have not had electricity for over 10 years back to power grid, intervened in infrastructure, provision of free education, regular payment of salaries and pension as and when due, approval and payment of promotion arrears, payment of monthly deduction, and also revamping health care services.